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Posted: 4/23/2009 9:19:59 AM EDT
| I picked up my new ar-15 and shot it for a while yesterday and took it apart to clean it. I took out the bolt and tried to disassemble it. The firing pin retainer pin isn't a pin! Its actually a very small flat head screw. I can't even get the screw out. I called who made it for me and he said that there isn't a reason to take the firing pin out to clean it, He said just lube the bolt and just clean the bolt and lube it. I can't even find a bolt with a firing pin retainer that isn't a pin. Help me out here. |
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I picked up my new ar-15 and shot it for a while yesterday and took it apart to clean it. I took out the bolt and tried to disassemble it. The firing pin retainer pin isn't a pin! Its actually a very small flat head screw. I can't even get the screw out. I called who made it for me and he said that there isn't a reason to take the firing pin out to clean it, He said just lube the bolt and just clean the bolt and lube it. I can't even find a bolt with a firing pin retainer that isn't a pin. Help me out here. We're going to need pictures here - if there's a screw in there, something's wrong, and if you can't get it out, there's even more wrong, and if the manufacturer put it there, there's a HUGE problem. 
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I picked up my new ar-15 and shot it for a while yesterday and took it apart to clean it. I took out the bolt and tried to disassemble it. The firing pin retainer pin isn't a pin! Its actually a very small flat head screw. I can't even get the screw out. I called who made it for me and he said that there isn't a reason to take the firing pin out to clean it, He said just lube the bolt and just clean the bolt and lube it. I can't even find a bolt with a firing pin retainer that isn't a pin. Help me out here. Ive never heard of that. What company made this? |
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So the genius that "made" this rifle actually threaded the retainer pin hole? ETA; I'm now thinking you may possibly have a "solid" pin like this.  If not - you best take the whole mess to a competent gunsmith and have it looked over before something really bad happens. |
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I started this note with a really nasty comment about mechanically ignorant people, who spend big bucks on ARs w/o the slightest idea of how to maintain one But I've wiped out and will simply post:
If you want to know how to maintain an AR, please buy a manual. If you are menhanically challenged enough that you can't tell the difference between a cotter pin and a screw, you really do need one.. |
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Trust me I know what a cotter pin is. I am fairly mechanically inclined. I have rebuild several engines soooo I think i'm qualified. Anyway
There isn't a marking on the bolt as to who is the maker. The Lower is a sabre and the guy I bought it from said the upper was a sabre too. It is indeed a very very small flat head screw. I know a cotter pin is supposed to be there but the screw is where the pin would be. I have a manual and read it and says nothing about what I'm describing. I am not talking about the 2 hex heads on the top. Here are some pics but my bolt. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f47/lightsdarkness1/0423091418.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f47/lightsdarkness1/100_1210.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f47/lightsdarkness1/100_1211.jpg |
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Your pics aren't all that great, but if it's a screw, grab a screwdriver and remove it.
Replace it with a cotter pin. Brownells should have them, M&A parts or PKFirearms should have them, if not, your local hardware store can probably help you. Oh......and go tell the guy who put a screw in a pin hole....hmmm...not sure what I'd tell him.....pretty sure I wouldn't let him build anything else for me, though.
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I picked up my new ar-15 and shot it for a while yesterday and took it apart to clean it. I took out the bolt and tried to disassemble it. The firing pin retainer pin isn't a pin! Its actually a very small flat head screw. I can't even get the screw out. I called who made it for me and he said that there isn't a reason to take the firing pin out to clean it, He said just lube the bolt and just clean the bolt and lube it. I can't even find a bolt with a firing pin retainer that isn't a pin. Help me out here. Ive never heard of that. What company made this? no solid pin. I tried turning the screw but its locked up. |
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I picked up my new ar-15 and shot it for a while yesterday and took it apart to clean it. I took out the bolt and tried to disassemble it. The firing pin retainer pin isn't a pin! Its actually a very small flat head screw. I can't even get the screw out. I called who made it for me and he said that there isn't a reason to take the firing pin out to clean it, He said just lube the bolt and just clean the bolt and lube it. I can't even find a bolt with a firing pin retainer that isn't a pin. Help me out here. Ive never heard of that. What company made this? no solid pin. I tried turning the screw but its locked up. Screws are soft. Carriers are hard. Get a pin punch and a hammer. edit: on second thought, no, take it back to whoever put it together and tell them you want a replacement BCG that isn't slapped together with the wrong parts. |
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I picked up my new ar-15 and shot it for a while yesterday and took it apart to clean it. I took out the bolt and tried to disassemble it. The firing pin retainer pin isn't a pin! Its actually a very small flat head screw. I can't even get the screw out. I called who made it for me and he said that there isn't a reason to take the firing pin out to clean it, He said just lube the bolt and just clean the bolt and lube it. I can't even find a bolt with a firing pin retainer that isn't a pin. Help me out here. Ive never heard of that. What company made this? no solid pin. I tried turning the screw but its locked up. Screws are soft. Carriers are hard. Get a pin punch and a hammer. edit: on second thought, no, take it back to whoever put it together and tell them you want a replacement BCG that isn't slapped together with the wrong parts. This |
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ok figured it out...
I crossed my fingers and hoped that it was a solid pin but didn't look exactly the same. I took a small screw driver and banged it a few times into the hole and after a couple hard bangs it moved. It was a solid pin but the slotted part of it was filled in with some crap that spreaded it making it very difficult to take out. It came out and I cleaned out the slot. I don't know why the gun guy told me the firing pin didn't need to be cleaned because it was dirty as hell. Soo problem solved. Thanks guys. |
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I think you were right..... |
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I started this note with a really nasty comment about mechanically ignorant people, who spend big bucks on ARs w/o the slightest idea of how to maintain one But I've wiped out and will simply post: If you want to know how to maintain an AR, please buy a manual. If you are menhanically challenged enough that you can't tell the difference between a cotter pin and a screw, you really do need one.. Armors manuals are nice! And everybody has a First time 
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unfortunitly the manual that came with the gun had nothing about a solid pin. It was all cotter pins in the diagrams. I would politely mention to whomever you got the rifle from that, instead of a standard cotter-type firing pin retainer, a solid pin was used, and that it would have been good to know about that before you picked it up. And I'd consider the person you bought the rifle from suspect (not exactly "professional") unless proven otherwise by how he reacts to hearing about the pin. |
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well considering it took you more time and obviously a tool or 2 to disassemble, that would be a good reason to use the cotter pin.
the weapon is designed to be field stripped for service w/o tools (other than the tip of a bullet for getting the cotter pin out.) |
| I actually prefer the solid pin to the cotter pin because I've had a couple of cotter pins over the years get difficult about going back in. You can disassemble the solid pin without tools if you use the tip of a bullet. In a field situation if you have no bullets you don't need to clean your rifle. |
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soo help me out guys what would be the part I would look for to replace it. Obviously its more than just a cotter pin to replace it. Actually, no. It's as simple as getting a cotter pin. Nothing more. It's actually a firing pin retainer and is NOT a standard cotter pin. USE ONLY a firing pin retainer. 
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Brownell's will sell you 5 of 'em for $2.24.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=16653&st=&s= There's nothing wrong with the pin your gunsmith used (and in hindsight, my negative remarks about him were premature - sorry!). If anything, it's a better pin, but 40 years ago someone figured out that it was overkill, so everyone uses the 'cotter pin' now. Your gunsmith didn't do anything wrong, except for telling you not to disassemble the BCG.
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Your gunsmith didn't do anything wrong, except for telling you not to disassemble the BCG. I bought a DVD on the AR-15 several years ago. The guy on the video interviewed his buddy, who makes custom rifles for competition. He recommended removing the FCG for routine cleaning, but specifically said not to disassemble the BCG. Both of these guys had recognizable names, and should have known better. Someone mentioned going to the hardware store and buying a cotter pin. Do not do that. Use a proper firing pin retaining pin. |
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